Whispers
by Restless-Obscurity
Summary: Mallet and Harley find themselves ever in one another's lives. Set right after Gus proposes to Harley in their unfinished house.
1. Where's The Girl

**Whispers**

**by Emily**

_Where's the girl? The girl with the blaze in her eyes ..._

"Can you tell me again where the site of Harley's new house is?" A.C. Mallet waited, trying to stifle his impatience. "It's kind of important. I'm not going to be bothering anything. I just want to .. look."

Marina cocked an eyebrow, and finally let out a sigh. "This isn't an issue of trust, Mallet. I am just not sure where Harley and Gus are tonight. They were going to be celebrating her freedom, naturally, and I don't want to be bothering them." She quickly picked up a broom from behind the counter and began to sweep.

Mallet noticed how Marina was fidgeting as she said this, and easily caught onto her meaning. "Ah, I see. Marina, I really don't think that they would have gone to an unfinished house to spend time together. They probably went to the Beacon or something." Mallet stopped himself there, and tried hard not to think of what going to a room together would mean. His pressed his lips together tightly, and then forced a smile. He hoped it didn't look too fake.

Marina was too busy sweeping Company's floor from the day's remnants to analyze Mallet's facial expressions. If she had been familiar with them, or had been giving him her full attention, she might have noticed how his eyes were lacking their usual sparkle or how despite his smile, his jaw was set and the muscles very taut.

"Marina, can't you do your Godfather a favor? Please? Come on," Mallet said.

Marina turned and looked at him, now studying him as if trying to determine every thought passing through his mind. "Okay, okay. But if anyone asks you how you knew where their house was, you didn't get that from me. Right? And it would have been nicer, Godfather, if you'd have made me an offer I couldn't have refused instead of just standing there pathetically."

Mallet smiled genuinely this time, and what a difference it made as his every feature lit up. "An offer, an offer. I could treat you to ice cream sometime and you could tell me what's been going on. You know, about you and that nice young fella ... what's his name again? Derlin Manwoss?"

"Danny Santos! Ugh, Mallet!" Marina giggled as she scribbled the address on the corner of a napkin. "And it's a deal. A hopeful cop needs all the sugar she can get."

"If I was drinking anything right now, I would toast you," Mallet took the napkin from her gratefully. "Thank you, Marina. Say hi to your Dad for me. Have a good night."

Marina watched him leave. "Okay. Good luck, pal." She shook her head, almost immediately dismissing the entire encounter.

Mallet parked his car a little way off the road. It was a beautiful night. The air was warm, but there was a gentle breeze cleansing the air of the thick heat that had oppressed the town when the sun shone. The moon was full, and the sky cloudless. The heavens were given the opportunity to showcase their stars in the most flamboyant manner. Mallet exhaled peacefully, a half-smile appearing across his face. He stood, bathed in moonlight, in what would be Harley's backyard.

He was very still. He let the soft wind wash across his face, and tried to find a sense of peace. Serenity. Tranquility. He needed to stop the onslaught of memories that always assaulted him at times like this. Memories of when he felt whole, and loved. His heart still belonged to the spunky blonde with the mischievous smile and the gleaming eyes. He could see her now. He could still remember what it would feel like to have her arms reach up and clasp themselves around his neck. She would stand on the tips of her toes to try to be level with him. She would hold him to her as if they were one, inseparable being. And he was complete. Filled with her light.

So he stood. Remembering. Remembering what it was like to live.

------------

Gus was sound asleep. Harley lay naked next to him. She was sprawled across the softness of the blankets, but could feel the hard concrete of the unfinished floor against her back all the same. Gus had fallen asleep what seemed like ages ago, and was in it very deeply. She could tell by his breathing. For whatever the reason, this night, Harley could not fall asleep. She would close her eyes and try to drown herself in the blackness, but to no avail. Her first thought was that she was simply to wound up from the day's events. That was no lie. She had been free-falling through a nightmare for so long now, that when she finally seemed to see the light at the end of the tunnel it was hard to accept it. It was hard to realize she could have ground under her feet again, and believe in something better.

It had been hard for her to believe in anything at all. It had been an endless battle for her to find hope during every long night. Her senses had always been alert and prepared for action. Well, some of the time. There had been times with Gus where she felt like all she could do was give up. Phillip's killer was not going to be found. Her only hope was in running away with Gus forever, and possibly trying to kidnap her own children. Then she would remember Rick and how she couldn't take Jude from him. Or she would remember Alan, and how furious he would have been to find Zach missing. Or she might remember Frank, Buzz, and Marina and how much she owed to them to try and make it back. Or she might recall Susan, and how she would never be able to be in touch with her eldest child ever again due to her delving into a life of complete secrecy. She would have no identity. She would be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.

She shuddered at this thought and pulled a blanket around her and stood up. She walked slowly and quietly to one of the openings where someday a window would be. How had she ended up here? How had she come to have the world again at her feet and her future back in her own hands? The answer was simple, and one that she fought hard to deny. Mallet. Mallet had come back in her life and showed her what forgiveness meant. It truly was a divine thing, forgiveness. It took such a burden off her soul and made her feel free. It let her be reminded of golden days when she was younger, freer, and had trust that life was beautiful. Mallet had pushed her and reminded her not to give up. In her breaking moments, he had stood by her with a plan and a promise. He hadn't let her down, and over and over had saved her. Whether it was from the Hellis bus, the other prisoners, the police, a gun-toting Alan, or herself … he had been there. He gently released her from his hands, and took her fall by letting himself go to prison.

Harley shook her head fiercely. She hated herself in moments like this. She forced down here feelings and tried in that moment to recall why she loved Gus so much; why she was with him tonight. She turned her head and something caught her eye. Her heart gave a nervous jolt, but for some reason icy fear refused to grip her. She instead found herself feeling insatiably curious. She crept over silently to one of the door openings and stepped out carefully. Her eyes made a quick sweep of the lush grounds … her big backyard. No fences, no sign of life until one looked down to where the road began. Suddenly her eyes froze, transfixed on a spot in the yard.

There stood the tall form of a man. She squinted and tried to distinguish any features, but it was too far. He was a shadow. The moonlight beamed down on him in an ethereal pillar, and sparkled on dewy patches on the grass where he stood. His hands were in the pockets of his pants, and he was facing away from her, apparently just staring off into the distance. Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest, she thought for sure that he must be able to hear it. Her eyes watching him, she stepped out of the house. She tightened the blanket around her body, and began to walk cautiously in his direction. All the while she peered at him intently, trying to comprehend why she felt no fear.

Her bare foot came in contact with a stray twig, and it gave the tiniest crack. But that was all that was needed. The spell over the man was broken, and he spun around with speed that would have shocked the average observer. But it didn't shock Harley. The swift movement of his body was enough to prove what her heart confirmed. The way his eyes met hers … two shimmering specks of light a little ways away from where she had stopped.

Mallet looked up her at her in wonder and great surprise. She stood farther up from where he stood. Her hair lay wildly around her shoulders, and she was wrapped loosely in a white blanket. He forced his mind away from what she had or didn't have on underneath it. Her face wore an unreadable expression, but he saw her lower lip trembling slightly and her eyes watched him hardly blinking. What he felt inside at this moment, in the middle of the night, could only be described as magic.

Harley's mouth parted, as if she wanted desperately to say something. But nothing came out and broke the darkness. Mallet watched her knowingly, and with a heavy feeling realized that Harley was probably not camping out in the buff all by her lonesome. Reluctantly, he started to step backwards as if to turn and leave, giving her a cordial nod and a small smile. Harley saw his movement, and almost unconsciously stretched out her arm towards him. He stopped dead in surprise, and hesitated, unsure what to do. Harley face broke into a puzzled grimace and she pulled her arm slowly back towards her body, and her eyes dropped from his in what looked like shame. Mallet tried not to wince, and spun smartly on his heel and began his descent back to his car.

------------

"So anyway, I just really wanted you to know how sorry I am," Olivia sighed, taking hold of Emma's hand. " I really am so glad you're free and that, ahem, naughty man is now paying. I didn't mean to contribute to any of your pain. You have to know how frightened I was, too."

"I do know, Olivia," Harley cocked her head. "And I forgive you. It could have just as easily been you running for your life, couldn't it? Don't worry about it. We're square. I do wish we could have worked better together in the beginning. Had that trust, you know?"

Olivia nodded. "I know. It's just hard for me sometimes. But I'm doing better! Bill's definitely helped me be so much better than I ever dreamed I could be. Suddenly there's ... hope."

Harley beamed. "Hope. Yes. Hope is such a beautiful, beautiful thing. Something I can never take for granted again. At least I hope that I don't lose ... hope. Did you hear that Gus and I are engaged again?"

Olivia looked at her purposefully, her lips pulled into a sarcastic expression. "I didn't! Congratulations, Harley. But why would that of all things be something that would make you lose hope? A wedding?"

"Oh, I ... I didn't mean it that way," Harley shook her head slowly. "That should be something to give me back my hope. A secure future with the man I love."

"_Should_?" Olivia now looked concerned. "Not _will_? Wow. You're having doubts, aren't you?"

Harley didn't meet her eyes. "Of course I'm not. I just suppose I'm just overwhelmed since I didn't realize it would be happening this fast. I didn't realize that we would ever reach this place again."

"Please don't laugh at this example, but let me share it nonetheless," Olivia began carefully. "When I married Alan, it was because I felt safe and I felt like he needed me. At the time. But at the very same time I was dancing around Phillip, fighting what my heart was really telling me. Who knows how things might have been different if I had never married Alan? Or how things would have been different if I had chosen to shelve my feelings and go with my head?"

Harley balked. "You're comparing me to your triangle with the Spaulding boys? How does this make any sense at all?"

Olivia shook a finger. "You're about to marry a Spaulding, sister."

Harley moaned. "Right. Again." She buried her head in her hands. "I'm listening ..."

But before Olivia could respond, Mallet came striding into Company. He wasn't looking in their direction but headed straight for a table near the back and began to order a cup of coffee. Olivia watched Harley's eyes follow him. "I don't think you plan on listening again at this moment. I think this is definitely my cue to leave."

"Huh?" Harley mumbled. "What? Olivia, what?"

"A certain tall, quite handsome gentleman has just entered the facility," Olivia began as if talking to a three-year old. "And your eyes went all buggy, and suddenly he's the only patron."

"Oh, you don't know what you're talking about," Harley said darkly. "I noticed him come in here, yes, but that doesn't mean a damn thing."

"Whoa," Olivia grinned. "Let's keep our emotions in check."

Harley turned away. "I have something to get in the back. Excuse me." Harley walked rapidly into the kitchen of Company, staring straight ahead blankly and trying not to let her eyes slide over to get a glimpse of her amused ex-husband. Her amused ex-husband who caught site of her and watched her make her getaway, and shook his head in dismay.

Olivia watched this unfold, to her own amusement, and swooped up Emma. She walked without a second thought to Mallet's table and sat down. "Hi there. How are you? A.C. Mallet, right?"

Mallet had to smile at her forwardness. "Yes, Olivia. I guess we didn't really get to be formally acquainted before we both had to witness a confession. And who's this?"

Olivia smiled. "This is my daughter Emma. Say hi, Em!"

Emma walked around the table and favored Mallet with a shy smile, and began to reach out for napkin holder on the table. Mallet picked her up onto his lap and handed her the object of her desire, with which she immediately began pulling out napkins with joy. "She's absolutely adorable. Looks like her mommy."

"Thank you!" Olivia pondered her next question carefully. "So what's going on between you and Harley?"

"Harley?" Mallet started. "Nothing. I'm just sticking around because I really don't have anywhere else to go. She doesn't want much to do with me. She's with Gus. Right?"

"Right ... but she seems to get a bit flustered and dreamy-eyed whenever you're around. Are you absolutely sure Gus is the one for her? Sometimes true love comes in places we don't expect it. I know this isn't really my business, but I haven't seen her favor Gus a look that didn't scream 'you stress me out' for a long time. I don't care what she says."

"I take it you don't like Gus that much," Mallet laughed. "He's ... a good guy."

"A good guy?" Olivia's jaw tightened. "He kidnaped my daughter when he thought I was the killer. Right underneath my nose, he came and took her away in order to further his own purposes. Maybe he can't help these urges. He is a Spaulding after all, and that isn't something he will be able to shake. He will always have his own interests and his company's interests very much in mind. Perhaps even above his interests for Harley, no matter what he does to try and put her first."

Mallet looked at her quizzically. "Kidnaping? Gus? Wait. Why am I listening to this? I don't even know you. This still doesn't change anything. It wouldn't change anything. I'm sure Gus has told all this to Harley and that she has forgiven whatever lows he had to stoop to in order to have the truth come out."

Olivia looked at him smugly. "Well, whatever helps you sleep at night. I did lock him in a closet in Spaulding's basement for a while to try and get him out of my hair ... so I can't exactly be preaching goodness and light."

Mallet chuckled. "You locked Gus in a closet? I guess I shouldn't have found that funny."

Harley at that moment came out from the back, hoping that he would be gone and she wouldn't have to deal with Mallet at the moment. Instead she received a heaping helping of jealousy when she saw Olivia sitting with him, both of them laughing at something, and little Emma perched on his knee like she belonged there. Harley felt a sharp jab at her heart that she tried to push away, but it kept pricking her. She remembered how she had so wanted at one time to have children sitting on Mallet's lap of their very own. She had always known that he would be such a great father - he just had that air about him.

Olivia turned her head a bit, and saw Harley, and winked at her. Harley bristled and started to act like she was going to return to the back. Olivia waved at her then, "Harley! Hey, come over here with us!"

Harley bit back an excuse, and moved up to them with a plastered smile. "Well, looks like you two have hit it off. My, my, what will your husband say, Olivia?"

"My husband," Olivia fluttered her lashes at Harley. "Is probably wondering what is keeping Em and I. Look at the time! We're off. Good to see you again, Mallet. Harley." Olivia looked at her slyly as she left and gave her the smallest of pushes in the back. Harley's mind was racing. She had been set up! She should have known better!

With Olivia gone, Harley realized she was standing by Mallet's table awkwardly and very much alone. He propped his elbow on the table, and rested his chin on his hand. "Are you going to stand there all day? Or are you going to finally decide you can still talk to me?"

"I can still talk to you," Harley snapped as she sat down hard. But her face suddenly flushed very red. "I just am not sure what to say. Listen, about last night - "

Mallet stopped her. "It's okay. I didn't expect you to come and have a chat with me or anything. I know you were there trying to spend time with Gus and to look at your new house."

"Speaking of which," Harley said. "How did you even know where it was? And why were you even there? Did you need something?"

"All these questions, all these questions," Mallet smiled superiorly. "Fire them only one at a time, Cooper. I'm not a suspect you can get to cave by firing questions at me so fast that I break down and confess to my criminal activities."

"I would call spying on me in my bed sheets pretty criminal," Harley blurted before she could stop herself.

"There's another one," Mallet pointed his finger at her. "A good questioner keeps their emotions in check so that they still have the upper hand."

Harley growled in frustration. "Whatever you say, honey. We are _not_ back at the Police Academy. You are not my instructor. I have asked you some questions, and you are being evasive. Why is that Mallet? Can't you just leave me alone and let me live my life?"

Mallet was taken aback. "This coming from the woman who was so put out when it looked like I was going to be leaving Springfield forever?"

"You do whatever you like, hotshot," Harley seethed. "I was not put out. I was just showing some friendly concern."

"And what do you call this?" Mallet asked. "Why are you so uptight? All that happened was we saw each other, and I left. I gave you your privacy when I saw you were there and didn't want any company. All I wanted to do was come and see your house. I was not coming to look for you and stir up trouble when I know you wanted to just be with Gus. Okay?"

"It's not that simple," Harley said, placing her palms flat on the table. "We stood there. For a long time. You just stared at me. You didn't want to leave."

Mallet narrowed his eyes and looked at her incredulously. "Yes, Harley, we shared a quiet moment up there. It was just a sigh in the night. Just a brief connection. I thought maybe you were looking for some kind of closure ... because I'm assuming you are only thinking of moving forward." He took her left wrist in his hand and lifted it up so her fingers stretched out right between their faces. "You see, I noticed the ring on your finger. Congratulations."

Harley tried not to react the touch of his warm hand, but couldn't hide the goosebumps that went all up her arm. Mallet's eyes drifted from hers long enough to notice this, and then he returned his eyes to hers, still holding her wrist. Harley looked at him determinately. "Thank you, Mallet. I'm sure we will be very happy together. Gus is a wonderful guy."

"Yeah, wonderful. I would believe you happy if you're eyes were shining."

Harley scoffed. "What are you talking about?"

Mallet looked at her, his face softening. "Whenever something truly made you happy, you would always have this firey look in your eyes. A look that was a testament to your happiness. Your whole face would light up."

"You probably drove this so-called 'light' away when you broke my heart," Harley hissed. "I have something different now, I'm sure. I'm not the girl who would follow you and only you to the end of the earth. I'm a woman, Mallet. A woman who's soon going to be very happily married."

"I miss that girl, Harley," Mallet said quietly. "She was never afraid of what she wanted. She never would cave under pressure. She would fight and fight and always find something to hope for. She was witty and she was feisty. Her heart told her what to do." He looked at her meaningfully. "The woman says she has forgiven me, but I still need forgiveness from that girl. The girl who's heart I broke - since according to you, the woman and the girl are not the same."

Harley looked floored. "You're saying I don't have it like I used to, huh? Why should your opinion matter to me? I tell you, my heart is telling me Gus does know me. He has stood by me. And he has asked me to marry him ... and that is what I'm going to do. "

Mallet's insides tightened, and he had a fierce desire in that moment to be the next lucky person who got to lock Gus in a closet. His composure lost for a moment, he gently pulled her wrist towards him. She was so startled, she didn't resist. He then brushed his lips against her fingertips, very slowly and deliberately. Her lips parted and she watched, fascinated, at his mouth against her fingers. "Mallet .. what are .. "

"Harley!" a voice yelled from Company's entrance.

Harley snatched her hand away, the spell broken and she turned fearfully towards the door. She saw Gus standing there, but he had been removing his sunglasses and was smiling. He hadn't noticed anything out of ordinary, and came striding over. "Hey, baby. How's my bride-to-be? Oh, hi Mallet. What's going on?"

Mallet smiled, and gave a little mock salute. "I hear the congratulations are indeed in order. You're a lucky man."

Gus pulled Harley to him. "They are, they are. Thanks a lot. Hey you ready to go?

Harley pulled herself up. "Yeah, let's go. Right now." She turned away quickly and started leaving, trying to stop the pounding of her heart by not looking at Mallet again.

"Good," Gus started following her. "See you, Mallet."

Mallet sat there for a moment, surprised at what had been his own boldness and also at how quickly it had been cut short. He shook his head, trying to cut off his hopes at the pass.


	2. I Know The Truth

_Why do I want him still? Why when there's nothing there? How to go on with the rest of my life - To pretend I don't care. _

"You have to be kidding me," Harley said stoutly, her mouth agape.

Gus frowned. "No, I'm not kidding you. I think this is definitely the best thing for us."

Harley stared straight ahead, looking at the road. Gus was driving them over to Towers for an evening out. She had been looking forward to a quiet dinner, but she had just had a bombshell dropped square on her shoulders. "You have decided to take control of Spaulding. I can't believe this. We just were trying to cut all ties with this mess. They are poison, Gus. Poison. Why can't you see that?"

Gus scoffed. "They are my blood, Harley. Alan's in jail ... I can't just leave Spaulding Enterprises to fall into Lizzie's hands or Alexandra's. Are you kidding me? We would lose everything."

"What are you talking about?" Harley's face was screwed up in disbelief. "Alex knows that company like the back of her hand. She has spent years in it, and years trying to get control of it. She will do just fine. And she loves you enough to make sure you don't wander around penniless."

"No, I don't think so," Gus said. "The fact that she would protect Alan first tells me that I have to take it before I regret it. This is what we need, baby. You have to see that."

"I don't see it."

"I don't want to have this poor man's life with you. I want to provide."

"Gus, don't you see ..." Harley moaned. "I don't care about things like that. I don't need that! The kids don't need that. I can go back to work at Company or we could both look into rejoining the police force. We don't need to have money the Spaulding way. I'd rather have it the clean, honest way."

"You can't be serious," Gus didn't look at her. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. The company rightfully belongs to me, and I'm going to take it and make it bigger and better than ever. You will see, and then you will be sorry you ever questioned my motives."

Harley leaned her head against the car window and was silent.

"And, uh, one more little detail," Gus said slowly. "We don't have a home right now. I've already had some people move most of our stuff into the mansion. That way we have somewhere to stay for the next while till our house is done."

Harley looked at him sharply. "The Spaulding Mansion? You want me to take my boys and come move into the Spaulding Mansion with you? That house ... I hate that house. You know I hate that house. Rick already said that they still have room enough for the two of us at the Bauer's. Can't we go there?"

"Harley," Gus said. "I already gave the orders. I said my girl and I were moving in, and that's what we're going to do. We'll have the big house to ourselves, to do whatever we want! It's freedom."

"No, it's prison all over again," Harley muttered to herself. "But this time, I don't have someone to help me escape if the walls begin to close in."

"What? What did you say?" Gus said offhandedly.

------------

Harley was mildly surprised to see the Towers parking lot fairly full. She didn't expect it to be this way tonight, and to her chagrin realized it would mean a noisy and exoteric night. She allowed Gus to take her by the hand and pull her close to him as they entered the biggest dining hall in the edifice. She blinked a couple times as they walked in, the lights were quite dim.

"SURPRISE!" yelled a chorus of voices. Harley eyes went wide, and Gus broke into an easy grin.

"Oh, honey!" Blake gushed, running forward immediately. "You look so radiant tonight! Maybe a little bit taken aback ... but totally gorgeous. Perfect for one of many engagement parties! Yay! Congratulations again!"

Harley pulled Blake aside. "You didn't. Oh, Blake, please tell me you didn't."

"Of course I did," Blake said happily. "What, you're not excited? We've got tons of food ordered, tons of guests ready to party, and Ross even got some guys to bring up a great stereo system for some dancing. And look! Marina and I spent hours decorating."

The lighting sparkled on the chandeliers and there was pink crate paper and balloons neatly scattered around the room. The room hummed softly with instrumental music in the background, and people we're in groups laughing joyfully and smiling at Harley and her fiancee. Buzz was helping the many chefs bring out platters and platters of food. Everyone was dressed up to the nines. Harley was glad that she hadn't decided to go to dinner in scrubs or something. As Blake had said, Harley did glow even if her countenance had been a bit downcast. She wore a shimmery scarlet dress that fell just barely below her knees, and was strapless. Her golden hair lay around her shoulders in soft waves.

"Um, thank you, Blake," Harley said, forcing a smile. "You really didn't have to do this."

Blake's smile faded. "Is everything okay? You do look a bit pale."

"Well, I'm only getting ready to be the next Spaulding Wife, but that's only a technicality," Harley smile became sarcastic.

"Spaulding Wife?" Blake repeated. "Is that like Stepford Wife?"

"Let's hope not," Harley rolled her eyes. "So who did you invite? Who's here?"

"Oh, you know," Blake flung her hand out. "The usual. All your family, Rick, Mel, Danny, Ross, Bill, Olivia, Cassie, Reva, Josh ... basically everybody. I think even Dinah said she would come, which I wouldn't be too excited about but I did remember you two were close once. I had to invite Beth, Lizzie, and Alex because of Gus. Who else, who else. A bunch of our old clients from Harley's Angels, and some of your friends from SFPD. Those snobby looking people in the corner are a bunch of the other Spaulding board members. Oh, and I think I saw Mallet over by the champagne."

"Mallet? He came?" Harley looked up.

"A little bit excited, huh?" Blake looked at her knowingly.

Harley tried to look innocent, but it made her look quite ridiculous and caused Blake to giggle. "Shh! Blake! I just am surprised that he would show up. I mean, we weren't exactly in a happy place earlier today."

"Ooo, do tell!" Blake cooed. "The secret longings for another man at her engagement party! Sounds like fodder for my next Great American Novel."

"Put the pen away, Darlena," Harley smiled in spite of herself. "Everything is under control."

Blake only smiled. "You go and greet your public. I'm going to see what Ross is up to."

Harley looked around the room, and saw that Gus had been talking to Olivia. She cocked her head in curiosity, when she saw Olivia make a furious gesture at him and then storm off. She saw Gus looking rather pleased with himself, and moving on to greet an overdressed member of the Spaulding Board.

"Hello, Harley," a deep, husky voice breathed close to her side.

Harley jumped and spun around. "Mallet! Don't do that!" She whacked his arm, and tried not to look too pleased to see him.

"Ouch, lady," Mallet gave a whimper and backed up a step. "I think you owe me a dance now that you've crippled me for life. You can spare one dance for your now lame ex, can't you?"

"Now lame?" Harley gave him a crooked grin. "You have always been pretty lame."

"Thanks!" Mallet spread his hands. "Only learned it from the best."

"Mmm," Harley rolled her eyes. She then looked at him seriously. "No hard feelings about earlier, right? I didn't mean to ... keep rubbing everything in your face. I'm not sure what's wrong with me today. You'd think I would be happy and spreading sunshine. But no, I'm just making everyone miserable as usual."

"You never make anyone miserable," Mallet put his arm around her shoulders, and gently hugged her to him. "I can understand that this has all been an emotional roller coaster. Just remember that I'm in your corner, not trying to throw you out of the ring. Okay?"

Harley nodded, and breathed deeply. He smelled wonderful. His cologne overtook her and brought back floods of memories. Mallet looked very handsome tonight, as usual. He was wearing a white shirt that was unbuttoned to right above his chest, and a black suit coat and pants. He was freshly shaved, and she felt the strange urge to reach up and feel the smoothness of his jaw and cheek.

Suddenly Blake took up the microphone. "Attention, hello, is this on?" Ross gave her a thumbs up. "Right. Well, thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate Gus and Harley's engagement!"

There was a loud smattering of applause, and a couple catcalls from Bill and from Rick. Harley gently broke away from Mallet and stood there smiling sheepishly. Gus came over and leered a bit at her, laughingly, and then waved his arm up at the crowd. Harley thought his joviality odd. He usually hated big to-do's and all the boisterous attention.

"So a toast to the happy couple!" Cassie cried out from the crowd. Many glasses raised high. Harley noticed Olivia's was just raised only a smidgen. Cassie continued. "To Gus and Harley!" And the crowd echoed it. Olivia just looked at Harley meaningfully, and then ruefully took a small sip. Bill put his arm around her comfortingly and whispered something. Harley peered over and saw Mallet take a short drink from his glass, and then set it down.

"A dance! A dance!" Buzz clapped. "Their first dance as almost man and wife!"

A bunch of people laughed, a bit courteously, and Harley flushed. She wondered if they were remembering that her and Gus had been engaged before. She shifted uncomfortably, and then nodded at Gus. Gus took her hand and led her to the middle of the floor. Harley didn't notice Olivia slip over to the stereo, with a sneaky smirk on her face. Ross had abandoned his post as DJ, since he had preset the CDs. He didn't expect a certain sly brunette with an agenda to slip over to the table.

Harley and Gus stood in the middle of the floor waiting expectantly. Suddenly the music started, and Gus began to spin her around. Harley, with a befuddled expression, realized what was playing. A jumpy little tune ...

_You got the body now you want my soul  
Don't even think about it, say no go  
Now I'll do anything you want me to  
I'll do almost anything that you want me to  
But I can't go for that  
No can do!_

Harley and Gus were busy trying to laugh off the peculiarity of this song cropping up as their first engagement dance, and were lessened embarrassment by other couples joining them on the floor. They all danced jubilantly, but Harley had a very foreboding feeling inside. She was at that moment trying to believe if she believed in signs. She didn't know that the harbinger, the messenger that was sent to give the sign was the dark-haired, sultry woman near her dancing wildly her husband. Mallet had seen Olivia fiddle with the tracks, and smiled to himself over her boldness that had only been caught by him. He could read emotions flit across Harley's face that were so unbelievably brief, that he summed it was only he who could read her that quickly. No one else noticed. Not even her partner on the floor. Marina came up to him just then, beaming, and pulled him into the fray.

"Where's Danny?" Mallet asked.

"Well, Godfather, he's off doing some kind of funny business," Marina said. "He had to take a call. He'll be back. I won't get too lonely. And plus, Dad said you looked a little bit silly standing there like a stiff and that I should come and get you to ease up."

"Leave it to Frankie, huh? And funny business ... don't you mean _family_ business?" Mallet shot a glance over at Frank, who saluted him from afar where he was dancing with Beth. Marina gave him a shove, good-naturedly, at his quip about Danny's familial ties.

The dance ended, and the couples all broke apart and began to mix it up for the next song. Gus was pulled into a dance by Alexandra, who looked like she was yakking his ear off about something official. Marina skipped off to a recently returned Danny, and he pulled her close. Mallet stood there for a moment, and saw Harley looking at him across a couple heads. She smiled and held out her hand. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms in a swift, familiar motion.

Olivia slunk back onto the dance floor, this time her and Reva swapped partners and Olivia began to dance with Josh. Josh shook his head at Olivia. "Olivia, what did you do? You look like the cat who just ate the canary."

"I didn't do a single thing," Olivia said righteously.

The music began, slow and powerful. Mallet had been determined to restrain himself, and keep Harley at a distance. But Harley tossed her hair back, away from her face and looked up at him with her eyes twinkling in the wispy lighting. He instinctively pulled her body against his, and he began to move with an easy, deliberate rhythm. Her mind told her to resist him, to not let him overpower her senses again ... but she needed this.

"You're very tense," Mallet's voice whispered against her hair. "It's okay. I'm not going to step on your feet."

"Well, it's been a long time," Harley raised her eyes. "You might have gotten rusty."

_Just when I believed I couldn't ever want for more This ever changing world pushes me through another door  
I saw you smile and my mind could not erase the beauty of your face  
Just for a while, won't you let me shelter you? _

"Rusty?" Mallet smirked. He gracefully spun her around and back into his arms in one fluid motion. They swayed in time to the music, and Harley's heart fluttered against her chest in a way it hadn't in so long that for a moment she didn't recognize its movements. Their bodies moved as if they were parts of one being. Harley felt the warmth of his body seeping into her skin. The proximity had left Mallet strangely breathless, and he dipped her in time as the beat of the song picked up and neared it's climax. Harley pulled out hard and twirled back into him again. He pulled her into a spin with his body, and easily lifted her off the floor and brought her up so her head was level with his. When their eyes locked, Harley suddenly felt every part of her go weak, and yet at the same time she felt invincible. Fearless. The future was not frightening or obscure. The future could only be here, dancing forever in his arms.

The song was ending. Mallet wanted to curse the world for making songs only around three to four minutes long. Three to four minutes was not long enough for him to hold her. Harley seemed to begin to stir, and as if trying to shake away her intoxication she tried to focus on the room. No one had seemed to notice what had just transpired between her and Mallet. She thought she might have seen Olivia glance her way, but maybe not. She looked around fretfully for Gus, and saw that he was still in Alex's grip somewhere across the room. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and started to try and pull away from Mallet.

Mallet reluctantly released her, already feeling colder without her so close. "What are you doing?"

"I ... we ..." Harley couldn't find any words. "What do you think _you're_ doing?"

"Dancing with you," Mallet said softly. "Don't tell me you didn't feel that."

"Feel what?" Harley felt exposed under his piercing gaze, and had to avert her eyes.

Mallet looked at her incredulously. "I know the truth, Harley. That was everything. It doesn't matter where you go or what you do, I will always be hanging on to moments like that. Moments where we are real."

Harley was feeling more confused than ever. "This is a party for my engagement. I can't be doing this here."

"Then let's go somewhere else," Mallet said taking her hand. "We need to talk. This is becoming a lot bigger than just you and I. You can't deny that. There is something that is holding you back from moving forward fully with Gus, and there is something that is keeping you from reaching out to me. I am drowning in all these mixed signals."

"No, no," Harley stepped back, looking very anxious. "Please, Mallet. Don't dredge up the past right now. I can't deal with that after all that's happened. We just have to put everything that happened behind us and move on. You can't keep waiting around for me. I'm not going to run back to you. I can't. I just can't."

Mallet nodded curtly. "The next time, you will be the one who comes to me."

"Come to you?" Harley's mouth fell open. "What makes you think I'm going to come to find you?"

Mallet held up a finger, almost sternly. "I'm not going to sit here and play games with you. If denial is what you want to wallow in, go right ahead. I won't 'dredge up the past' anymore right now. But I will be waiting. When you need me, you can come find me. But I'm not going to linger around where you are anymore, in hopes that you will favor me with a few words or that I might get a chance to watch you smile."

"Well, you're going to be waiting a very long time," Harley said flippantly. "Come prepared to catch the bouquet, because that's the last piece of me you'll ever be able to hold. I'll let Olivia take you your invitation."

"Fine," Mallet spat.

"Fine!" Harley growled. And with that she walked purposefully towards Gus. About halfway to him, she began to waver as feelings of regret overcame her. She turned back around discreetly, but Mallet was gone. Whether he had left or was just somewhere else in the raucous room, she couldn't tell. She was so tired of Mallet lifting her spirits, only to leave her feeling defensive and tongue-tied. What was happening to her? What happened to the picture Gus painted of this picturesque family life with her picket fences and her heart finally having a permanent home? Was that even what she really wanted? She had waited her whole life for stability, and now it seemed she was subconsciously sabotaging it. Harley had shut down the part of her mind that kept dwelling on Mallet and all he had done for her, because it was making her question her choices. She couldn't stand the thought that she might be making another mistake.

Frank pulled Harley aside at that moment, and sat her down by him at a table. "What's going on, sis? You look like you're at a funeral, not a party."

"Oh, I'm just a little bit overwhelmed, I guess," Harley patted Frank's hand gratefully.

"That's an interesting way to put it," Frank raised his eyebrows. "I thought for a second that I was going to have to storm over there and separate you and Mallet with a crowbar, and then the next second it looked like you two were worlds apart. I don't think I've ever seen you like this. Not to mention, all I'm seeing tonight is Gus schmoozing with the Spaulding bigwigs. I think the world has turned upside-down, to be perfectly honest ... unless I've simply had too much to drink."

Harley stared into space. "Mallet told me that if I wanted to talk to him or anything, that I would have to come to him the next time. He won't be coming to me anymore."

"Interesting," Frank said thoughtfully. "I did notice that you have begun to push him away instead of keeping to that policy of maintaining a friendship with him. Why is that?"

Harley wanted to burst into tears. "I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's like I have PMS twenty-four hours a day, Frank. All I do is mope around and want to pick fights. I thought that getting engaged was going to make me lighter than air, and I was going to just be floating around for the rest of my life."

"I see," Frank paused. "I think you need to go try to talk to him again."

"Ah, Frank," Harley said. "I try and we end up sharing something ... this something that floods my soul and makes me feel like all is right. And then suddenly I'm yelling at him because I can't stand to think that I'm letting my old feelings for him interfere with what I feel for Gus."

"Your old feelings?" Frank examined her expression.

"Frank," Harley warned. "What is going on with everybody lately? First Olivia, then Blake, and now you?"

"Maybe it's written all over your face everytime he's in the same room," Frank offered.

"That's fantastic. I'm sure Gus is thrilled about that."

"Harley, I don't think he's been noticing a whole lot today. So in that you're safe."

The fact that her own fiancee remained so oblivious to her stress and her emotions did little to comfort Harley. She sighed in defeat. "Fine, Frank. I will go talk to him. Heaven knows I'm not going to ever feel any kind of peace till I do. Although you have to know how much I _hate_ letting him be right. Or letting you be right. Or letting anyone but myself end up being right."

"Well, that's what brothers are for," Frank threaded his fingers behind his head casually. "To help their crazy sisters. When will you go see him?"

"Tomorrow," Harley said decisively. "I will pay him a visit first thing tomorrow."


	3. This Is The Moment

_Give me this moment, this momentous moment. _

_I'll gather up my past, and make some sense at last. _

"I have some stuff to do. I guess I'll see you later," Gus pecked Harley on the cheek.

"Stuff? What kind of stuff?" Harley was getting dressed in one of the bedrooms at the Bauer house. This had been their final night, according to Gus, imposing on the Bauers and by tonight Harley was trying to prepare herself for life in the Spaulding House of Horrors.

"Oh, you know," Gus said nonchalantly. "Business stuff. A little of this, a little of that. See ya."

"Okay," Harley said as the door slammed. "Bye." Her hair was now pulled up intricately against the back of her head, and she smoothed the creases in her summery white skirt. She was wearing a black top that left her left shoulder completely bare, and part of her back. It fitted tightly, but gracefully against her skin. She pressed the palms of her hands together tightly, and tried to give herself a pep talk.

"All you're doing is apologizing and getting things out in the open," Harley told her reflection. "He doesn't get to you, right? Right. After all, he's just a man. A very cute man. A cute man who's your ex-husband and gave you years of grief. Right? Of course. Mallet is hard to forgive and easy to forget, remember?" She groaned and stomped her foot. "Why do I thinking it the other way around? Ugh."

Harley reminded herself that he was staying at the Beacon. She hoped she wouldn't have to run into Olivia and deal with her satisfied look when Harley explained she needed Mallet's room number. Harley debated about stalling ... about going off to find Frank or her father and getting more long-winded advice. She peeked in at her soundly sleeping kids, who were both looking forward to a painless day of playing with Leah and Robbie, having no idea that their mother was feeling so torn. She very softly kissed the tops of Zach and Jude's little heads. She bowed her head at the thought of her two babies growing up in the House of Spaulding and being subconsciously groomed as future leaders of the dynasty. She ached at the thought of Gus and even Jude being haunted by memories of Phillip and of secrets and of lies. Harley turned around and had to leave, to stop herself from clutching them to her and shedding a few tears, and begun the short drive to the Beacon hotel.

She was walking fast up to the great doors, allowing herself to go so quickly in order to ignore the little voices in her head arguing over what she was doing. She didn't even notice Mallet walking outside reading the Springfield Journal. He was sporting his fetching ensemble of long blue jeans and a dark shirt and jacket, and was rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he was reading. Harley barreled right into him, and began to lose her balance and fall to the side. Mallet was quick to steady himself and grab her shoulders and hoist her back onto steady ground.

"Whoa there, champ," Mallet said, his face lighting up. "What's your hurry?"

Harley looked up at him, dumbfounded at their chance timing. "I was coming to find you."

"Ah ha!" Mallet tried to not look too pleased. "So I think I remember, vaguely, something about you never coming to look for me, ever, and yeah ... something about catching your bouquet. I mean, I was planning on popping out of your cake at your bachelorette party, but I'm sure being one of your bridesmaids would be a lot more thrilling."

Harley choked back a giggle at the thought of Mallet as her maid of honor, and tried to keep her face unreadable. "Well, as entertaining as that would be, I didn't come here to ask you to pop naked out of my cake."

"Naked?" Mallet's eyebrows shot up. "Oho, Harley, I never said a _thing_ about naked. But it's really not a bad idea. Since the last bachelorette party I went to was, oh, _never_, I guess I'm a bit _rusty_ ... as certain people like to remind me."

Harley felt the color rise into her cheeks. "Mallet, I just came here to say that I'm sorry. I don't know what keeps getting into me. You keep pushing my buttons. Or I goad you into pushing them myself. Then I get angry and we part on an angry word. And I don't want that." She tried a smile. "I want us to be able to be friends."

"Friends," Mallet said, as if turning the word over and over in his mind.

"Yes, friends," Harley went on. "So no more of this walking on eggshells. I probably have to go now ... we have to have everything moved into the Spaulding Mansion by tonight." Her face crumpled just from uttering the two words together. She began to pluck at her sleeve. "So, I guess I will see you later."

"Wait just a second," Mallet's face had changed as well. "The Spaulding Mansion? Why are you moving into the Spaulding Mansion? You have told me how much you hate that place and everything that is even remotely Spauldingesque except for Gus and your son, Zach."

"Gus thinks it's the best thing," Harley couldn't meet his eyes. "He says it's rightfully his now and where we should be. Plus it will make it easier for him to run Spaulding Enterprises from the home base, you know? And there will be ... uhh ... a lot of space. It being a mansion and all."

"What are you saying?" Mallet took her by her shoulders again, and forced her to look at him. "Harley, what is happening to you? What is happening to the girl that made up her own mind? That took a stand? What happened to the girl who wasn't afraid to speak her mind? The girl who didn't want anyone to tell her what to do? You sound ... so defeated. You sound like you are resigned. You're letting Gus make all the rules, and you're settling for that."

"I'm not settling for anything," Harley's voice cracked. "And I told you before. I'm not that girl anymore."

"You must be right," Mallet pressed. "Because the Harley Cooper I know would never let things go this far. She would put up a fight, because she knows what's right and she does it. She doesn't just sit back and let things happen, she dives right in and makes them happen."

Harley stared up at him, her voice was almost a whisper. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know me anymore."

"I don't know you, huh?" Mallet said, studying her face. "I know you a hundred times better than you know yourself. I know you a thousand times better than Gus could ever hope to know you."

"You don't make me ... feel the way Gus makes me feel," Harley murmured.

"I could agree with that," Mallet said, running one of his fingers slowly up her bare shoulder. "Did you ever tell him what happened between us in prison, Harley? Those kisses? Did you ever tell him about how we were seconds away from kissing before the elevator came and I left, right after you were declared innocent?"

Harley looked at him defiantly. "You're delusional." But she quavered under his touch.

"Am I?" Mallet sat down a bit against the wall. This brought her face exactly level with his. He never broke eye-contact as he pulled her close to him. She stretched out her hands as if to stop his movements, and her hands fell against both of his thighs. This caused Harley to look up in shock to see his expression. It could have been considered a mistake on her part, because she suddenly saw full on the look blazing in both his eyes. Her heart was beating so loud, she was sure he could hear it. As if knowing exactly what she was thinking, he picked up one of her hands off his thighs and caressed her wrist.

"I can feel your pulse," Mallet said deeply. "Your body can't lie to me. And neither can your heart. I see the look in your eyes everytime we are close like this, and I listen as you are unable to speak. When did you stop following your heart, Harley?"

His fingers were now running their way up the bare place on her back, and she let out a little gasp when he ran over a particularly sensitive place. His eyes suddenly closed, as if savoring every single second. Harley felt her hand reach up and touch the side of his face, and felt his hand rise up and wrap around her own. His eyes opened, and she felt him draw her even closer. His lips hovered right in front of hers. She longed, ached for him to close the gap. She waited and he wasn't moving. She wanted him to. She wanted him to kiss her. She heard a little voice in the back of her head suddenly taunt her, telling her she wanted him to kiss her so that she had an excuse later when they broke apart. The excuse of _him_ starting it.

Still, he did nothing. He just breathed against her skin, causing chills to run up and down her spine. His fingers still were stroking her bare back, shoulder, and arm. Their eyes were locked. Harley felt paralyzed in his tender grip, as she stood there between his thighs.

"Mallet ..." her voice was almost pleading.

Her mind was doing cartwheels. She knew how he would taste, how he would move. She knew. And she was craving it. She was craving the way that only he could kiss her. She was imagining the way he would taste. The way he would breathe. The tension was unbearable.

Finally, she threw her arms around his neck and crushed her lips against his. This was all he needed. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, and placed his other against her hair. He deepened the kiss, and their tongues came together expectantly. She ran her hands eagerly up the back of his head and into his hair. Mallet's hand stroked the side of her face, but he seemed frustrated with the fact that her hair was pulled back away from his touch. He broke the kiss and began to run his lips against the side of her mouth and against her cheek. She sighed into his ear and tried to recapture his lips. His hand moved expertly into her tresses, and pulled away what was keeping it up. It spilled out onto her shoulders, and he began to run his hand through its softness. She whispered his name, and grabbed his lobe between her lips. He finally pulled her head back and reunited their mouths. She was practically sitting on his lap now, and his arms were wrapped around her. She felt warm and wanted. She brought her hands down against his chest, and could feel his heart. It was beating just like her own.

Mallet felt as though he had just entered another dimension. She was against him, kissing him with all the passion and longing that he had kept bottled away for so long. It was electric. It was chemical. It was the beginning and it was the end. Her soul was his, and his was hers from here to eternity. He knew that. It was at this moment that he tasted something different - something wet and salty against his face. It took him a moment to realize it was her tears. Her tears were streaking across both their faces. He felt her give a quiet cry against his lips, and he pulled away just a bit. She opened her big brown eyes that he had always been sure were flecked with bits of gold. They were wet and she had begun to shake.

He pulled her to him, wordlessly, and she began to sob against his shoulder. He stroked her hair, and rocked her back and forth. She clutched him, buried herself in his closeness. His scent comforted her, and she felt safer than she had felt in a very long time. Her sobs quieted and she simply let the tears flow. He very tenderly lifted her head back up and kissed away the tears still sparkling on her cheeks.

"I will not leave you, Harley," Mallet whispered. "You are not alone."

"How did this happen?" Harley finally managed. "You weren't supposed to do this to us."

"Me?" his chuckle made her feel so light. "As the saying goes, it takes _two_ to tango. I couldn't get very far if I didn't have my partner with me. My beautiful, beautiful partner." His face suddenly grew serious, and he kissed her lightly on her forehead. Then he turned her around so she was still sitting against him, but they were now both facing the same direction. He wrapped his arms around her, and she folded her arms around his, and leaned back into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Harley said, feeling the confusion creeping in but shoving it away fiercely ... not wanting to give up what comfort he was giving her right now.

"There's no reason to be," he said against her hair. "Everyone just needs to be held once in a while."

But this had been no simple holding session, and they both knew it. Harley's mind was playing and replaying the kiss. The _many_ kisses. The way her body had moved with his. As if she had needed to go and complicate things even more. But part of her was screaming at her about how inevitable it had been. They had been teasing and toying with each other for far too long. They had been fighting and rehashing their entire history. They had been remembering.

"How things might have been," Mallet said, brokenly. "We could be sitting here or anywhere else in the entire world, and just shared a moment like that and it would not be forbidden. It would have been a husband and his wife having some time together before going back home to the children waiting. Instead I drove us both out into the merciless winds of the storm, and we have been lost ever since. Or at least I have. Please tell me that you can pull me back. Tell me you can help me find my way again."

"I can't think like this. I can't think like all I've loved and all I've lost since you have really been only moments," Harley said. "Only wrinkles in time, whereas what is between us is everlasting. That defeats the purpose of the past decade or so. We can't go back."

"We can't go back," Mallet agreed. "But there will always be the future."

Harley weakly raised her hand. The ring on her left hand caught the sunshine. "This was supposed to be my future."

"Was?" Mallet said, not daring to hope.

"Was ... is ..." Harley broke away from him, stood, and looked at him from a few feet away. "That is only a technicality. I've committed. Everyone expects things from me. Gus expects things from me. And dammit, Mallet, I expect things from myself. I've made a commitment. If I break it, it will be like I'm being a hypocrite. I've always held trust and loyalty as religion."

"Why can't you again trust your heart? Be loyal to your feelings?" Mallet stood.

"Mallet, you can't talk about loyalty," Harley said desperately. "You broke those rules a long time ago. Who's to say you wouldn't do it again? You would win me, and then you might get bored again."

Mallet looked as though his heart had been ripped out. "That's not fair. You said you had forgiven me. Have these last months meant absolutely nothing to you?" He suddenly pulled up his sleeve. "Does this say nothing to you?"

Her eyes widened as they had before. It was no less startling. The scars running up and down his arm from when he had taken her fall and gone to prison in her stead. The scars that had once been angrily bleeding cuts where someone had tried to break him. Instead he had taken it all, and now stood before her with no enmity. Harley had never actually brushed it off. She could remember the first time she had seen the scars, standing there with him in the hospital when they had been searching for Sebastian. She had almost carelessly seen them and made a comment, and then had a horrible sinking feeling after Mallet revealed their origin. They were scars she had given to him, no matter how indirect it was.

"I am so sorry," She reached out, trying to embrace him. He backed away and held up his hands.

"Please," Mallet said simply. "I will bear this marks forever, and I will not regret it. I don't need you to pity me. I need you to really, truly realize what this means. I will wake up every morning and see these. I will see them throughout everyday, each time I look down. And it will simply be another thing that reminds me of how much I ..."

Harley sharply took in her next breath. "How much you what, Mallet?"

"What do you think, Harley?" Mallet stared at the ground as if it were the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his life. "It won't matter what I say, if it's not going to change anything. I could shout declarations from every mountain top, but at the end of the day you would go scurrying back to Gus. So we are at an impasse."

"How I wanted this moment," Harley said boldly. "I'm not going to try and deny it. I wanted you just then. I wanted you when you kissed me, when we stood there alone in the prison with lights and alarms flashing all around us. I wanted you when we sat there on the bed in that hotel and we just talked and smiled. I wanted you when I was watching you leave me for an elevator! But I had to push it away, Mallet. What does this make me?"

"Human," Mallet pressed, taking her hand. "But wanting is not enough. You know I want you, and I am always thinking about you and hoping that you are alright. Harley, do you love me?"

Harley felt her mouth open. "What ... Mallet ... I ..."

"Harley."

"I don't know," Harley massaged her temples. "A part of me will always love you. You know that. Same as a part of you will always love me. You were the first person I ever truly loved."

Mallet sighed. "But that's not enough, Harley. You need to love me now, for the present. I can see that part of you must still belong to Gus. Are we are back to square one? Trying to be friends and not kill each other? Or kiss each other?" He suddenly smiled.

Harley smiled, too, but there was heartache written all over her face. "Well, friend, I can't expect you to want to come to the wedding." Deeply embarrassed, she pulled out a white invitation. She stared at it for a moment. The print and the words seemed so foreign to her. It seemed jumbled and as though it was something meant for someone else entirely. "But I guess I will give it to you anyway, so you know that I was ... thinking of you."

Mallet took it from her. "I will be there. I will support you, no matter what you decide. No matter how much it hurts. I guess I was just one last little fling before you are wedlocked, huh? One more tease, one more dance, one more kiss. _Misty watercolor memories _..." He shook his head, still smiling.

"_Misty watercolor memories_?" Harley chuckled in spite of herself. "As if we need that kind of drama, Mallet. I'm sure if anyone could see us or hear us, they would wonder what the hell our problem is."

"I know what the problem is," Mallet started to lean in towards her, and Harley's mind suddenly blanked out again and she stared at his lips. "That's our problem. Right there."

"Er, what?" Harley cleared her throat rather loudly.

"Are you always going to look so flushed everytime I get within less than a foot of you?" Mallet tilted his head, and raised one eyebrow. "Just remind me to not get too close to you when you and Gus are up there reciting your vows. You might end up kissing the wrong man."

Harley raised her hand to hit him on the shoulder, and he blocked it easily. "Oh, get over yourself. You are so full of it. Seriously, Mallet, please understand. I feel like I keep dragging my kids in and out of relationships, homes, danger ... I have this chance to finally give them steady ground."

"Do you honestly think that all the baggage that comes with being a Spaulding is going to spell out _happily ever after _for Zach and Jude?" Mallet asked. "I have to tell you, I'm having a real rough time picturing all the problems disappearing and everything just falling neatly into place. I've seen what you've gone through in the past. You told me what you went through after you and Phillip split, and even when you were together what endless battles you faced."

"But, hypothetically of course," Harley began slowly. "if I was to say, be with you, you're saying this time around we wouldn't be facing any kind of problems? Everything would work out better just because you don't have any Spaulding blood running through your veins?"

"No, Harley, I'm not saying that at all," Mallet said. "Everyone is going to have things happen to them that they can't control, and nobody and nothing is ever perfect."

"Well, I think that you just described how marriage with Gus will be. Not perfect, not always smooth but still worthwhile," Harley folded her arms tightly across her chest.

Mallet groaned. "You're forgiveness meter must be off the charts for Gus."

"What?" Harley moved her hands to her hips. "Another crack about Gus? Oh, great."

"No, this is not a joking matter," Mallet began to pace.

"You're not telling me something," Harley said accusingly. "And stop doing that, you're making me feel dizzy."

Mallet stopped pacing. "Sorry. No, I ... don't have anything to say. It's not my place."

Harley laughed loudly. "Ha! You've been saying anything you want! What's holding you back?"

"Maybe I'm just so used to wanting to protect you," Mallet shoved his hands in his the pockets of his jacket. "I don't want to see you in pain."

"Mmmhmm," Harley lifted his chin. "Do _you_ love _me_? You have never really said it out loud. Do you still love me? All this talk is just beating around the bush. Bloodying even more a very, very dead horse. Do you love me?"

"I still can't fathom why you are asking me that."

"I want to know. I want to hear it."

Mallet took both her hands in his. His eyes were shining. "The lady shall always have what she wants. I love you, Harley Davidson Cooper. I love you more than any man has ever possibly loved a woman. Nobody knows what love of this kind is, unless they have spent years and years alone completely lost because part of their soul was missing. They don't know unless they spent the years trying to throw themselves into work, trying not to think of this woman every single moment of each day. The mornings would come and I would roll over to kiss you good morning, and the bed would be empty. At night every part of my body would ache to just hold you one more time, and feel you warm and relaxed against me. I would pour my heart into every single letter I wrote to you for that first while, and I would just write and write and fantasize about you walking through my door. When I heard about what happened with Phillip and with you accused, I didn't know all the facts. I knew you were not a killer, and yet my heart told me that even if you were .. it wouldn't matter to me. I just had to try and be near you, and offer you some kind of protection. I loathed the very thought of you being tossed into some prison all alone where you could get hurt. And to see you again, sitting there ..." He inhaled deeply. "It was like walking into some kind of dream. Even though I knew you would be hating me, I could only feel love for my part. Love I still feel now and at this very moment. I am looking at you, and right now every part of me is calling your name. Forever."

Harley wasn't sure how she was still standing. All the emotion she had just watched play across his features. The feelings that she was having had intensified so strongly, that her whole body was pulsating. She couldn't even think of another time that she had believed and trusted someone so implicitly. She couldn't think of another time when someone had made her feel so completely, unconditionally loved.

"Baby!" a voice called. "Hey, what's up? Hey Mallet. Listen we have to go. I found the perfect spot for our wedding, but the only time we can reserve it is for tomorrow evening, or it's booked until October. And I figure, why wait? I want you to come see."

And Gus was pulling her away, before she could even think to stop him, linking his arm in hers. Harley looked back and saw Mallet still standing there watching her. His expression made her want to just curl up and die in shame, and she had to turn away.

Mallet dropped his eyes to his invitation, where the date was now pointless. Apparently, Harley was to get married sooner anyone thought. "Tomorrow evening." He whispered. "One day more. I suppose I will always be second best." And with that, he walked away.


	4. You Must Love Me

_Deep in my heart I'm concealing things that I'm longing to say  
Scared to confess what I'm feeling, frightened you'll slip away_

The day dawned in a peculiar way. The sun's appearance was merely a cameo. No sooner had its rays dusted the ground when enormous, angry looking storm clouds came rolling in. The sky was soon a dark shade of gray. The winds began to pick up speed and strength ever so gradually. But as of yet, there was no rain. It simply growled and darkened, but nothing more. A strange look for what was assumed would be a day bathed in light.

Blake Marler couldn't help feeling cross. The weather and the atmosphere it lent was provocation enough. Her romantic heart was unnerved by the squalid look of a day that was about to become a dear friends anniversary. Usually Blake would have welcomed the clouds and the fact that they took away some of the summer heat and she would have curled up at home and read or played board games with her children. But she, instead, was standing just to the side of a very pale and anxious looking Harley Cooper.

"No, no," Harley made a frantic gestures with her hands. "The flowers on the right side of my hair are all crooked. My head looks completely lopsided."

"Oh, they are not," Blake insisted, reaching up to fiddle uselessly with the white flowers woven into Harley's golden tresses. "I swear we have been arranging and rearranging these stupid things for over forty minutes. Are you still not satisfied? Don't tell me you want to start all over again, sweetie. You really do look beautiful. Just stunning."

"I'll bet I do," Harley through her a sardonic look. "I'm standing here in my slip, Blake. I haven't even put on the dress yet."

"Minor technicality," Blake clasped her hands together and started glancing around. "Where is the dress? Is it downstairs?"

"Oh no ..." Harley groaned. "My dress! I forgot. I bought this dress, and it had a no-return policy. But when I brought it home, Cassie noticed it had a tiny stain on the left side around my knee. She took it to dry clean it using the Beacon's service and I completely forgot yesterday that I needed to pick it up. And I was right there, too! Why is this happening to me."

"Relax, deep breaths!" Blake urged. "I will run and go get it. No problem."

"No, you can't do that!" Harley grabbed her arm. "You have to run and tell them I'm running a few minutes behind, but that I will be there as soon as possible."

"You still have time, Harley," Blake checked the clock. "Two hours or so."

"Just let me do it," Harley insisted. "I'll just slip something on and grab it."

"Make sure, then, that it's something that won't ruin your hair as you pull it off!"

"Yes, sir."

Blake rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know any better I'd think there was another reason your so keen on making a visit to the Beacon."

"Blake," Harley cautioned. "It's my wedding day. I couldn't be happier."

"Yeah, I can see that," Blake said sarcastically. "Happy Harley."

Harley through on something that was in her closet, and started to walk outside. She let out a yelp. "Blake! It's really windy! My flowers!"

"Uh-oh, we should have thought of that ... um ... here, put this over your head!"

"Blake, this is a plastic grocery bag."

"Just do what I tell you to do, okay? Go! And hurry! I'll run and make sure no one is dying to get the bash going early, and I will go pick up your bouquet while I'm at it. See you back in just a teeny bit, okay?"

Harley ran outside to her car, bag on head, and tried her best not to drive too fast. The last thing she needed was to get arrested on a day like today. The gray clouds left her feeling uneasy and she was trying hard to determine if she put any kind of faith in signs. Was this a sign? She wasn't sure. It went back and forth in her mind, and she wondered if perhaps the sun might break through soon enough and show her the way once more. She was again trying hard to ignore the little voice in her head that was jeering at her, telling her that the only reason she wanted to be the one to get her dress was because she might get to see Mallet one more time before the ceremony.

Harley strode up the Beacon desk, and trying to look as inconspicuous as possible started glancing around the lobby. She couldn't help herself. She was half-expecting him to swagger up with an easy grin and pin her in a corner.

"Can I help you?" an impatient desk clerk demanded.

"Er, yes, Cassie Winslow had something dry-cleaned for me. I've come to pick it up."

"Name?"

"Harley Cooper." And with a jolt, she realized she might be going by Harley Aituro from now on, which she might have dealt with, but in her heart of hearts she realized what that actually meant was Harley Spaulding. Spaulding! Again.

The clerk went away, and came back carefully carrying her white dress. It was a simple but elegant cut. It had some light beading near the neck and waistline. It was strapless and fell down into a soft, gauzy skirt that touched the floor. Harley ran her fingers unconsciously over the material. She looked at the clock on impulse, and decided she would run up to Blake's suite and change. Harley pulled out her keys, found the one, and shoved it nervously into the door of Ross and Blake's master suite. She shut the door carelessly behind her, and threw her dress on the bed. She took off what she had been wearing, and tossed it on the floor. She stood, again, in her slip, and began struggling to get her wedding dress on properly.

"Oh, come on Harley," she chastised herself. "You can reach around and do this. Come on, gah!" Harley groaned as she spun in circles trying to get the dress to pull on straight. "Where's Blake when I need her?"

"Well, at the moment I would guess Blake is running around ordering people on last minute errands."

Harley's eyes popped out of her head. "Mallet! What are you doing here?"

"Blake called and said she left her gift for you here on accident, and asked me to come pick it up on my way. She assumed you were already heading back to the Bauer house. I was going to go find someone to let me in, but I tried the door just for fun ... and what do you know?"

"Yeah, some coincidence," Harley frowned, wondering just what Blake was thinking calling Mallet instead of Cassie or anyone else to come get her gift. Harley paused for a moment to take in Mallet. He was looking very dashing in a black tuxedo. Tall, clean, and handsome, he just stood there looking at her rather comically. He was emptying his pockets, too. She tried not to grin, as he pulled out his wallet, a pair of handcuffs, a pack of gum, and a bunch of scrumpled up papers and flung them casually onto the bed.

"Do you want some help?" he finally asked, looking at her askew dress.

Harley gave up. "Yes, come help me. Please help me. That is, if you're done dumping your garbage all over the mayor's bed."

"You look so beautiful," Mallet said, as he began to straighten out folds in the back and pull it down so it hung gracefully against her. "But I didn't expect anything less."

"Thank you," Harley muttered, trying to ignore the sensation gripping her as his hands brushed so lightly against her frame. "You cleaned up really nice yourself. I mean, I'm not saying that your usually dirty or anything like that, I just - "

"Thank you," Mallet smiled, though she had her back turned and didn't see. The dress now hung the way it was meant to, and she whirled around to face him. She looked visionary. Her eyes were sparkling, but Mallet didn't realize that it was his appearance that had caused the twinkle. He sighed. "We better get going. Gus will be waiting. And if it was me ..." His voice trailed off and he became quiet.

Harley took a step closer. "If it was you ... then what?"

"I ... would ..."

"Oh, excuse me!" a voice said from the door, causing both Mallet and Harley to look around almost guiltily. It was one of the Beacon's many maids coming to clean up the Marler suite. She looked flustered at having interrupted them.

"You're fine, don't worry," Harley said.

"I should have knocked, I'm sorry," the young woman said, taking a step backwards out the door. But suddenly she smiled. "Congratulations. I hope you have a really nice Honeymoon here. I'll come back ... a lot later. I love your dress. Bye." She slammed the door enthusiastically, and was gone.

Mallet and Harley simply stood there, frozen, for many seconds afterwards. Each was lost in their own thoughts and at a complete loss of what to say to the other. Mallet finally broke the silence, his voice very emotional. "It's time to go, Harley."

"Go?" Harley echoed, her voice was as empty as Mallet's was filled with emotion.

"Come on, Piglet. I don't want you to be late for your special day," Mallet said gently.

Harley walked up in front of him, her eyes threatening to tear up, and held out her arms. They embraced tightly. Harley was blinking furiously, and Mallet eyes were shut tight. Harley grabbed his face in her hands and stroked his cheeks. "I ... love ..."

"What, Harley?" Mallet said sharply. "You love? Gus? Because I know that one by heart. Let's see. You love arts and crafts? You love old movies? Macaroni? The mountains?"

"I love _you_," she blurted. "You are always complaining that I talk and talk ... won't you just shut up for a minute and let me say anything? You're unbelievable."

"Oh my ..." Mallet's voice trailed away leaving him standing there, stupefied. "This is not funny. I don't think you should joke about things like this right before you're about to be marrying the ... who was it?" He snapped his fingers, and cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah, your soulmate? Your true love? The love of your life? Is any of this ringing a bell?"

Harley looked at him quizzically. "You have to be kidding me. Are you deaf? Did you not understand what I just said?"

"I just don't get you, sometimes, Cooper," Mallet protested. "Is this your way of showing you have cold feet? I mean, for months now all you've been letting me know is that you _once_ loved me. You _once _cared. But that I was your past. I was just a relic! Yesterday you admitted that there were some feelings. Maybe even some feelings of desire, but you never let on that you still were in love. No matter how I tried to convince you or myself, you kept shooting that down."

"I lied!" Harley threw her arms in the air in total disgust. "I was lying. I was confused, Mallet. You know how confused I felt. You just show up out of nowhere and start pushing all the same old buttons again. You come along and save me when I need saving and you made me feel again. I was so empty when I had to leave everything behind and thought my life was basically over. You reminded me how to hope, and how to keep holding on. I remembered that I couldn't turn my back on things."

"This may be true," Mallet held up a hand. "And doubtlessly I have been loving you from the sidelines this whole time, and trying to help you whenever you needed it - simply to convince myself that this was enough. I could just spend the rest of my life lending you a hand or shoulder when you needed it, and simply go through the motions for the rest of living."

"I would have never wanted that for you," Harley pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "I wanted you to be free and happy. I didn't want you to feel this way."

"I can't help it," Mallet said, softly. "I love you more than I love anything that has been, is, or ever will be. A feeling like that never just dies. It lingers. You taught me what the word love really means. So don't use it carelessly back on me now."

A smile touched the corners of Harley's mouth. Her eyes were sad. "Why didn't you come after me? When I left you all those years ago? Why didn't you try to stop me?"

"I wanted to stop you with everything in me," Mallet's eyes stared off into the wall, as if it were a gateway to a flood of memories. "But I had to let you go. I didn't deserve you. And I didn't think you wanted me to come for you. Hence, the letters."

"Yes, those letters," Harley whispered. "I found myself alone one night, and found them. Frank had had them, as you know. I read a few of them. I don't think I've ever read anything so beautiful or so depressing in my life." She continued to smile. "I think I knew then. I think I even knew before then, but I had just pushed it so far away that I didn't recognize it."

"What?"

"That I still love you." But her voice faltered slightly, her nerves acting up again. The guilt now, about what she might do to Gus had started to fill her with apprehension.

Mallet still looked unsure, in turn. "Harley. What about Gus? You are supposed to marry him in less than an hour. You can love both of us, maybe, but you can't be _in love_ with both of us."

Harley's cell phone began to ring with a carefree chirp. Yes she loved Mallet. Was she _in love _with him as he had said? Harley started to reach deep inside of her heart. She started to say something, changed her mind, and reached for her phone. Her lips pursed together tightly when she read the name on the caller I.D. With hesitance she raised the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"_Mommy, is that you?_"

"Zach, sweetheart, it is me! How are you doing honey? Did Gus let you borrow his phone?"

"_He's not in here, I just picked it up because I wanted to call you._"

"Oh, okay baby, what do you need?"

"_Why aren't you here yet? I'm waiting. You said I could see your dress._"

"You'll see it soon. I will be coming. Don't you worry."

"_I'm so excited! I love you._"

"I love you too, Zach. Bye."

Mallet was looking very uncomfortable as he stood with his hand shoved hard into his pockets. His face looked drawn and he seemed to be thinking a thousand things at once. "You've got a wonderful kid there, Harley."

"I know," Harley tucked her phone away, gritting her teeth. "And I promised him a family, didn't I?"

"You did," Mallet nodded. "So I guess this is it."

Harley rubbed her hand up her arm. "You wouldn't ... want to ..."

"Want to what?" Mallet looked at her meaningfully.

Harley shook her head. "Nevermind. I made a commitment, didn't I? A choice?"

"You did choose, Harley," he exhaled. "You chose a long time ago."

"My kids ..." Harley gestured weakly.

"They are expecting to get a new father today," Mallet said firmly. "Gus." Mallet walked up to the door and swung it open. He then stepped aside to let her exit first.

"But Mallet, I told you that I love you. I guess that you don't want to hear that. You want to play the martyr this time and save me."

Mallet gave her a firey glare. He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her fully and soundly. She began to fall against his body, when he pulled back just as quickly as he had come. "All I'm trying to do is help you. Here, let me help you out some more." He stepped over to Ross and Blake's big bed, picked up the handcuffs he had strewn on it and held them up.

"Oh, no, Mallet!" Harley moaned. "Not again! What is this going to solve? Chaining us together again?"

"Ah, I'm not chaining you and I together," Mallet said with all the flourish of a seasoned magician. He took the handcuffs, unlocked them, and clasped one around his right wrist tightly. He took the other one and snapped it firmly around one of the sturdy oak legs of the bed. He sat there, looking quite outlandish, and smiling on top of it all. "I'm chaining myself to the bed."

"Now if we were under different circumstances," Harley said silkily. "I would be highly interested in the fact that you just chained yourself to a bed. But right now all your doing is _driving me crazy_."

"That's the whole point," Mallet confirmed. "Now go. Go get married." He tossed her the key to the cuffs. "The way I see it, it's back in your hands. I can't run after you now and make a scene at the wedding when they ask for objections, and you don't have to feel guilty over any feelings you have and think you have to stall the ceremony. After all is said and done, you can make up some wild story that will surely delight Blake to no end and give her the key so she can let me loose after everything is said and done. So good luck. Bye."

Harley cupped the tiny key in her hands, and stared at it. Her phone started to ring again. She looked down and now it was Rick's phone. "I think it's Jude this time," she sucked in a breath through her clenched teeth. "All right Mallet. If you want to do crazy things and mess with the cosmos, that's your deal. If you don't want to believe I mean what I say and want me to go keep my prior engagement, that's just fine. My children are counting on me, and so are many others."

Mallet smiled knowingly. "Don't trip down the aisle."

"You know me," Harley said. "No pain, no gain."

"I wish I could give you more. But I could never live myself wondering if one day you would look back regretfully at what you threw away, on what is supposed to be the happiest day of your life."

She couldn't look at him anymore. She slammed the door behind her, and leaned against it, breathing hard. Her blood ran cold and she was flooded with countless feelings. Hugging the tiny key close to her heart, she walked away down towards the Beacon stairway.

------------

Mallet sat there on his haunches trying to come up with better things he could have said to her as she was leaving. Some final, reverberating piece of wisdom that would have guided her way always. "I give you," he said in a very deep voice. "my spell of protection. It will be with you always, my apprentice. Take it and go forth." He spent a few more seconds trying to get himself to lighten up. This wasn't so bad. He had done the right thing (right?) and tried to entertain himself by thinking of the hopefully large stack of files Frank would leave on his desk for him to immerse himself in tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning ... Harley would be off somewhere on her Honeymoon.And all those things he had wanted to tell her ...

_What are you, an idiot? She told you she loved you._

Yes. But did she really, truly mean it?

_Of course she did! She wouldn't just let things pop out like you assumed she would._

But it was probably out of guilt. That maid made her remember our wedding and feel guilty. She wanted me to have a crumb or two before she left forever.

_My word, man! Are you loony? Why do you have to over-analyze every single little thing? It's love. It's pure and it's simple. And yet, it's crazy and you can't justify all the bits and pieces of it by using logic or deduction. You can't second-guess it and force it aside. _

It took Mallet perhaps only around three minutes (or roughly 183 seconds) of arguing with himself to realize that this was not his brightest idea. He pulled against his self-created bonds in frustration, and kept reminding himself that he forced both himself and Harley to let go for the greater good. He pulled and realized with disgust that he had emptied out anything from his pockets that would have let him pick the minuscule lock. And the cramped sitting position he had put himself in here next to one of the bed legs wasn't exactly comfy. He flopped onto his stomach, his arm dangling upwards ridiculously, and started to scan the floor for something he could reach for.

He saw, glittering a little ways from him, one of Harley's hairpins had fallen out. It lay there on the floor resting on top of the stubby stem of a small white flower that had also come loose from Harley's locks. It mocked Mallet with it's simple beauty and the promise it had held of resting atop Harley's head as she took her vows. Groping for the pin, he stretched out as far as he could and even tried to use one long leg to brush it closer to his hand. It was all to no avail. Mallet was stuck.


	5. Why Did I Choose You

_And when I lost my heart so many years ago,  
I lost it lovingly and willingly to you ...  
If I had to choose again,  
I would still choose you ..._

Storms are funny things. Some people only find them to be angry forces of nature that block out the treasured light of the sun. Others revel in them, finding in them peace and become fascinated while watching the rain come down and the wind blow.

At this particular moment, Harley Cooper was not feeling peaceful. She hadn't anyone to help her or give her pieces of plastic this time to protect her hair or her dress. She exited the Beacon hotel with her arms thrown up against the wind, as it whipped at her body, and the rain pelting her. She was feeling so many emotions, that she barely comprehended how she was still on her feet. Harley figured it was her anger that kept her moving. She was angry at Mallet for being so dramatic and for not listening. She was angry at Gus for being so absentee and obsessed with his Spaulding name even after all this time. But most of all, she was angry at herself. She was furious that she had let it spill what had crossed her mind - that she might still love her ex-husband. She let out a bitter chuckle. Oh, that's right. She had to be in love with Mallet or he wouldn't listen to what she was saying. She was angry that she didn't feel a hundred percent sure about Gus. She was angry at her mother for not being here, or at the fact that she was alone right now on a day that was supposed to have been flooded with sunlight.

Words Mallet had said kept ringing in her head. When was the last time she had followed her heart? Harley didn't know - which was probably a very bad sign. The image that kept resurfacing over and over in her head was the night that she threw all Phillip's things to the curb, became drunk and depressed, and slept with Rick while still married to Phillip. It was the very picture of her doing the thing that she most loathed other people doing to her. Cheating. Being untrue. Harley often wondered what Phillip had been thinking while he cheated on her with Beth in the middle of that San Cristobel snow storm. In her heart, she knew that he hadn't been falling back in love with Beth at that time, but had let desperation and history cloud his reason.

Harley reached the door of Company, and slumped against it. Was she doing what Phillip had done? Was she letting desperation, fear of the unknown, or history cloud her reason? Is that why she was feeling herself pull away from Gus, and back to Mallet?

_I love you, Harley Davidson Cooper. I love you more than any man has ever possibly loved a woman. _

She could hear his voice, as surely as if he was standing right next to her. And a warm feeling flooded her heart, and sent a rush of warmth into her cold fingertips and down to her toes. She felt it spread across her shoulders and felt her cheeks flush. A feeling started inside her. A little pinwheel of light and heat inside her heart was causing it to swell, and she closed her eyes. A sad smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

_I am looking at you, and right now every part of me is calling your name. Forever._

Forever, repeated her own heart with a combination of release and conviction. How many times had she wondered why it seemed as if she didn't have a soulmate? As if every man that came along had convinced her that he must be her one great love, but then let her down? Something always seemed to get in the way. Gus had supported her and she had loved him for that. She had been grateful. But had she let herself fall so far because he had seemed to have no baggage? No past loves that could someday make her feel only second best? They say one never forgets their first love. Harley wonderingly pondered that phrase, and how true it rang. Falling for Mallet had been pure. It hadn't involved reasoning, it had been natural. He was her other half.

"He's still my other half," she whispered, balling up her fists tightly against the back of the door. Harley pushed the door open quietly and looked at the site before her. Rain-soaked guests of what was supposed to be her wedding were chatting in little groups at various booths and tables around the restaurant. Buzz had turned on the radio, softly, and music was playing in the background. Gus was near the back, and had a huge clipboard in one hand and was madly flipping papers with the heading of "Spaulding Enterprises" with the other. He was talking animatedly into his cell phone, it being propped against one shoulder. Zach was pulling at his pant leg, and Gus shooed him away and mouthed "in a minute" to the boy. Zach wandered back to a table and propped his face against his arm in disappointment.

Nearby with her back turned, Harley saw Olivia sitting in one corner, holding Emma on her lap, and filling out some paperwork on the table. Every once in a while, she would look up and favor Gus's back with a glare. Harley watched her father come out from the back, carrying cups of hot coffee and cocoa. At the site of the cocoa, Emma wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck and whispered something in her ear. Olivia smiled and stood, leaving her paperwork behind, and carried Emma over to get a drink. Harley edged carefully over, still being unnoticed due to the hubbub. She looked at the papers Olivia had been filling out, and had to keep herself from gasping loudly. They were forms to press charges of kidnaping against Gus - for taking Emma during the time that Gus believed obsessively that Olivia was guilty of Phillip's murder and that he would do anything to Olivia in order to free Harley. She straightened up slowly, her face becoming like a mask. Then she heard it. "When A Man Loves A Woman" was the song now playing on the radio. Harley's senses were overwhelmed, and she felt as though all her questions about believing in signs had just been answered.

"Harley!" Blake had turned around to look at the time, and had therefore noticed Harley standing silently in the corner. "You scared me to death! How long have you been here? Why didn't you say anything? Well, what are we going to do? I guess we could have the ceremony in here. It's just raining too hard to try and have it inside. Do you think anywhere else is open right now?"

"I just called over to a couple other places," Frank called over to Blake. "Everyone seems to be booked right now. That's so weird." Frank grinned at his sister. "I guess everyone wants to get married today. I don't see why, though. It looks like a natural disaster film out there."

Gus looked over to where they were standing and wriggled his fingers at Harley, while still talking on the phone. Harley waved back, half-heartedly. Despite finding out that he had again played unfairly during the black time when she had been accused of murder, almost incriminating another innocent woman ... she still felt sorry for Gus. She felt sorry for how misguided he seemed right now, and how ...

"Gus, I need to talk to you," Harley said calmly, walking over to him.

Gus covered the mouthpiece on the phone. "Can it wait a sec, hon? I've almost sealed an important contract with one of our bigger clients. This could rake in millions. And we're kind of sitting ducks, anyway, aren't we? Oh, yes, Mr. Salisbury I'm still here ... and I think you're going to like what else we're prepared to offer!" Gus patted Harley's arm, and then turned away.

Harley watched him. Olivia walked up beside her, looking ashamed. "Harley, I saw you ... reading those papers. I didn't know you were here. I ... I'm not really going to press charges. I wouldn't do that to you, not after everything that has happened. Gus just got under my skin, again, earlier and I was trying to vent my frustrations."

"By filling them out so you have something to hang onto, just in case he ever threatens you again?" Harley said, her voice was void of emotion.

Olivia shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe."

Harley could only nod in return. Gus snapped shut his phone, and turned to her smiling. "Got him! Right. Well, what do you have to tell me, baby? Wow, you're really wet. Where have you been?"

Harley pulled Gus out of earshot, into the back halls of Company. "Gus," she began slowly. "There is a difference between loving someone, and being _in_ love with someone ..."

------------

Mallet sat still chained to the huge bed in the Marler's suite. He wasn't sure how long he had been there now, but it had to have been a good almost forty minutes. Forty minutes, he assumed, was definitely enough time for Harley and Gus to be almost done with their ceremony. He unwillingly pictured Harley's radiant gaze as she pledged her forever to Gus. It would be over, then. Mallet would fade into the woodwork, by his own choice, as Gus and Harley embarked on their next great adventure. Once they were married, Mallet wouldn't try to wreck that. As long as Harley was happy, he would stay cooped up in his little corner of the police station filling out reports and reading new assignments. He would hope that overtime the pain in his heart would dull, and he could function as he had before. Robot-like.

Again he struggled against the chain. The leg of the bed was too sturdy, though, for him to get any leverage or hope to weaken the strength of the links. Mallet had already pictured the either humorous or greatly disturbed looks Blake and Ross would favor him with when they walked in that door - unprepared to see a greatly stressed detective handcuffed to their bed and sitting helplessly on the floor. Mallet shook his head. He wasn't helpless. He knew that if he was consciously trying, he could probably free himself. But his heart just wasn't in it. He didn't really care anymore what happened to him. He had nobody that would come looking for him. Frank or Marina might casually notice that he wasn't around. But it wasn't like Alan calling out the bloodhounds to find a missing Gus, or Buzz doing the same for Harley.

Mallet closed his eyes and leaned his head against the bed. He felt something slip from underneath his right lid. The single tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a wet path behind it. No others came. His body was reworking itself, almost. It was trying to remember how to stifle emotion and just exist.

Suddenly, he heard the creak of the door but he didn't open his eyes. He knew who was there, and he didn't have the heart to look anyone in the eye. He didn't have the strength to see the smiles that had been on their faces since they had come from a wedding, or to meet their penetrating looks when it was plain that he had been about to lose it. He hadn't wiped the tear from his cheek yet. "Look, could you please just help me unlock this thing? I'll answer your questions in a minute. Just help me."

Footsteps approached him. A single pair. Ross must not be here yet, Mallet thought carelessly. He heard the rustle of fabric as someone knelt beside him. He felt a cool hand touch the side of his face and turn his head, and he slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus. She was beautiful, and she was very wet.

"Yes," said a voice that caused him to tremble. "It's _my_ turn to save _you_."

"I'm asleep," he croaked closing his eyes again. "Even my dreams are going to torture me. _Ow_!"

"Would you usually feel that if you're dreaming?"

"I'm usually not pinched to death by angels when I'm dreaming." And he smiled, and her heart was warm. "I guess I should congratulate you."

"Yes, I think you should," Harley moved her thumb across his cheek, wiping away the moist path the tear had left behind.

His voice cracked. "I'm sure ... I hope that you will be very happy. But Gus is waiting for you."

"No he's not."

"What? Where did he go?"

"He's not here, Mallet. Look at me."

Mallet met her eyes, trying hard to understand. Harley held up her left hand and wiggled all her fingers where he could see, reminiscent of how he had lifted her hand to study her fingers back when they had sat together at Company. This time, her ring finger wore no ring. Mallet felt his lips part, and his eyes widen. He couldn't say anything, but could only stare from her finger, and back up into her face. She was smiling at him. It was not a smile without sadness, but it was a smile without chains. Her eyes were soft and they watched him with an expression that caused nostalgia to flood every fiber of his being. But it wasn't the kind of nostalgia that made him wistful for the past and made him feel lonely.

It was as though she could read his thoughts. "You aren't alone anymore. You'll never be alone again."

"What ... what did you do? Why ... why? I never wanted ..."

Harley put her finger to his lips. "You said something to me earlier. Do you remember what it was?"

"I babbled on about a lot of things. I wasn't trying to make you feel like-"

"You are babbling again, Mallet." Harley smiled. "Let me help you. You said to me that I could love ... many people. But I can only be in love with one person."

Mallet didn't move. He barely could breathe. He could only watch her.

Harley began to caress his cheek, and she placed her forehead against his. "I'm in love with you, and only you. You are where my heart is. I had buried this feeling so deep that I didn't even recognize it until you were by my side again."

Mallet inhaled shakily. This couldn't be real. Could she have finally ... come back to him? Of her own will? Without her chasing her and confusing her. Without feeling obligated or feeling torn. Without bitterness and without conviction. Without any hate. He felt her pull away from him, and his heart started to sink.

Harley held up a small silvery key for both of them to see, smiled at him again, and freed his wrist. He immediately took it in his other hand and rubbed it and finally adjusted his body so he could sit comfortably. Harley took his wrist in her own hand, and he winced slightly. His wrist was very red, telling her he had strained. The look in his eyes told her that part of him had wanted to stop her, but he had taken away his choice willingly to let her choose and be happy.

She began to rub it gently. He was still frozen. "Harley, I love you. But I didn't want you to throw everything away. I thought you were happy."

"I think I forgot what those words truly mean," Harley said softly. "Love. Happiness. I realized that I was becoming invisible to Gus; I knew inside that if I left him, that he probably wouldn't spend years writing me letters or years in agony. I don't know."

"But ... how could he have damaged your trust more than I did? I did something far worse ..." Mallet's face tightened, and he looked away.

Harley gently turned his head back to face her own. "Gus and I were in a self-destructive mode. We are always second guessing and being suspicious. He has one set of goals, and I have another. We aren't in the same place anymore. Those kinds of patterns would only lead to a stressful relationship. But all that is just fine print. I had to leave ... because I'm in love with somebody else. Take note of that, Mallet. I'm _in love _with somebody else. They say you never forget your first love. I've certainly never forgotten you, I've forgiven you, and I love you. But I have to ask you something."

Harley paused and the room was very still, except for the sounds of their breathing. Mallet was still trying to overcome his shock and deal with the onslaught of emotions overwhelming his heart and soul. "What do you have to ask me? Anything. Anything."

"I have to ask you," Harley began slowly. "Will ... I be enough this time? What if you wake up again some morning and realize how dependent we are on one another, and that sort of everlasting commitment frightens you away again? And can you forgive me for pulling away for so long? You have to understand we can't just pick up where we left off."

"I know that," Mallet said, pulling his wrist away from her hand and taking both her hands in his own. "I never wanted to go back. I just want to move forward with you, for always. I will not be afraid again, Harley. Time has done something to me. It has taught me what is and was important, and how I want to need you. I want to need you by my side forever, and I want you to know that I can't live without you. My life was so hollow for all those years. I know better. I will not ever take you for granted again."

"But can you forgive me?" Harley said firmly. "I have to know."

"Are you kidding me?" Mallet shook his head. "You never had anything to be sorry for."

Harley smiled, but her eyes were distant as if lost in a memory. "I wish that I had gotten your letters. I would never trade my children, but I wish so badly that so many things that happened hadn't happened." She looked back at him. "But you came back. And you were there for me when my entire world was falling apart. Somehow you helped hold it together. Somehow you gave me a reason to hope and to believe again. You keep saying that you just were sleepwalking through life till you saw me again ... so was I. I am alive again. I'm whole."

Mallet exhaled deeply and leaned his head back against the bed, letting out a soft laugh. Harley inched over to sit alongside him, stretching her legs out alongside his and leaning her own head back. They sat side by side quietly for what seemed like a long time, both lost in their own thoughts and hesitancies. Mallet looked over at her, and then put his arm around her shoulders. "You're still wet! You're going to get sick. We have to go back and get you something to put on. I can't believe you've been running around in the rain all day and not wearing a jacket or something."

"Stop trying to boss me around already," Harley folded her arms, but he caught the twinkle in her eye. "Blake and Ross could be back any minute, so we have to go anyway."

"Okay, well, my car's outside," Mallet said starting to get up. "I can drive you to Company or the Bauers and you can get what you need and then I guess ... we ..."

Harley smirked. "You have no idea, do you? You're living in a hotel. I'm living in someone else's house. Where do we go? I actually have a solution to that problem, sweetie. I hope you don't mind that before I came in here, I kind of went into your room here at the Beacon and put together a little ... bag ... for you."

"Bag?" Mallet looked at her in surprise. "A bag for what?"

"For where we're going, of course!" Harley replied taking his hand.

"Uh, where are we going?" Mallet asked suspiciously, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "And exactly how did you get into my room? I never gave you the means to get in."

"Er," Harley flushed slightly. "I told them that I was your ... wife. That we had just gotten married and I was supposed to meet you up there. The guy I talked to was new and didn't know who I was or who you were. I mean, I had the outfit for it." She spread her arms, looking down at the wet whiteness of her gown.

Mallet and Harley stood there, a bit awkwardly, for a moment. Mallet bit his lower lip, and Harley fidgeted with an imaginary spot of lint on her dress.

"Well," Harley said slowly. "Now that we're acting like two teenagers on a first date ... let's go. We don't want to miss our flight, do we? Hurry up!"

------------

One surprisingly (for Mallet) short flight later, the Detective and the Runaway Bride were walking up an all-too familiar path. Mallet eyes were alight as he took in their surroundings. The clouds had disappeared as they flew into their destination, and soft sunlight was bathing the ground with an unearthly glow. The air was cool and comfortable, and there were still many flowers along the wayside in blossom. The very scent in the air triggered memories of love, desire, passion, and peace.

"Cross Creek," Mallet breathed. "hasn't changed a bit."

Harley chuckled. "Well, that's not entirely true. Bill and Olivia did some remodeling when they took over, but I can't really complain because Olivia was all too willing to let me borrow the place for ... however long I needed." Harley got an impish look in her eye, and suddenly bolted towards the door. Her abrupt movement caused Mallet to start, and then watch her in consternation.

"Harley .. what .. ?"

Harley was struggling to unlock the door quickly, a big grin on her face, and finally it gave and she stepped in. Mallet began to stride towards her and right before he got to the door, she slammed it in his face. "Harley! Dammit, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" He tried the door but she had locked it. "Harley!"


End file.
